Psychomotor stimulant drugs of abuse cause brain damage that is dependent on elevated body temperature. This year, we continued to examine brain and body temperature changes in relation to the permeability of brain-blood barrier (BBB) during exposure to meth-amphetamine (METH). Particularly, we examined expression of heat shock proteins during acute METH intoxication and established its close relation to brain temperature elevation (collaboration with Dr. Sharma, Uppsala University). We also initiated the study on penetration of HIV-like microparticles during acute METH intoxication (collaboration with Dr. Polesskaya, Rochester University);this study will clarify why METH addiction greatly increases the probability of neuro-AIDS and will examine the role of temperature-dependent leakage of the blood-brain barrier in brain entry of virus-like particles. We also examined alterations of brain temperature homeostasis induced by lypopolysaccharides, an exogenous neurotoxin that could potentiate the adverse effects of addictive drugs (J. Tang).